Combined platform and signal lantern



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

M. MORTON. COMBINED PLATFORM AND SIGNAL LANTERN.

No. 426,041. Patented Apr. 2-2, 1890.

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' M. MORTON. GOMBINED PLATFORM AND SIGNAL LANTERN. No. 426,041; Patented Apr. 22. 1890.

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MELVIN MORTON, OF DE YVITT, IO\YA.

COMBINED PLATFORM AND SIGNAL LANTERN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 426,041, dated April 22, 1890.

Application filed January 20, 1890. $erial No. 337,433. (No model.)

To aZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that l, MELVIN MORTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at De Vitt, in the county of Clinton and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Combined Platform and Signal Lantern and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Myinvention relates to certain new and useful improvements in signal-lanterns; and it has for its object to provide a lantern that maybe simultaneously used as a platform-1i ght and train-signal, by which, with the aid of a predetermined code of flash or colored lights, messages may be transmitted to railroadtrains without interfering with the light thrown upon the depot-platform; and for these purposes the invention consists of a suitable lamp inclosed within a casing having two light transinitting openings upon one or both sides thereof, the one above the other, the point of greatest illumination of the lamp being opposite to the upper or signal opening, while wings actuated by levers are provided, by which it may be closed. Screens containing transparent or translucent material are also provided, by which the signalrays may be colored at will.

My invention also consists in the combination and construction of the several parts thereof, as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, in which similar parts are designated by si|nilar letters, Figure l is a side view of my invention, a part of the casing thereof being broken away and the arm carrying the wing thrown back. Fig. 2 is a vertical section on line 00 a: of Fig. 1, the arms being thrown forward. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the clothholder forming a screen.

The casing or box A has formed in the forward ends of its sides hinged frame-works Z), ext-ending from top to bottom, each of the said frame-works being closed by a single plate of colorless glass 1), forming doors B, by which access may be had to the interior of the casing. Ventilators, formed of tubes 0,

having perforated heads 0, are formed in the bottom of the casing to permit the entrance of air to support the combustion. of the lamp 0, which may be of any approx'ed construction, and which has a screw 0 formed upon its base, taking into the thickness of the bottom of the casin g, securely holding it in place, while an inverted funnel 0 over the lamp leads the products of combustion through the tube 0 in the top of the casing to the hood 0 by which they escape into the atmosphere. The upper half of the doors I3 is also closed by opaque pieces b placed upon the outside of the glass Z), but having circular apertures Z1 therein. The height of the lamp 0 is such that the point of greatest light will be opposite these circular apertures, and it will be thus seen that two separate bundles of rays of light will normally be thrown from both sides of the casing, the upper ones, which will be horizontal, or nearly so, passing through the aperture Z1 while the lower ones, passing through the lower part of the door, will be thrown downward at an inclination, and if the casing is placed near the line of a railroad-track and above a depot-platform will illuminate the latter. The upper rays by reason of their horizontal direction are eiiiectual as signahrays, by which signals may be transmitted to trains upon the said track on either side of the casing, and for this purpose I provide means whereby the character of the rays may be varied or by which they may be interrupted at will.

Swinging arms D are pivoted in bearings (Z, attached to the floor of the casing ,near the inner frames of the doors, and carry 011 the forward surfaces of their upper ends wings D, of a proper size and shape to obstruct the apertures b when they are thrown forward. The movement of the arms D is caused by rods (Z', pivoted to each one thereof and extending from the casing to any point that it may be desirable to place the operator, and it will be seen that if one of the arms is thrown forward the signal-rays which normally pass through the aperture b of the corresponding door will be intercepted, whilethe illuminating-rays passing through the lower part of the door will not be affected, and if the arms are drawn backward the sign al-rays will again be visible.

Brackets L above the lower openings in the doors and below the upper ones are placed upon each side of the casing, extending from front to rear between the arms D and the lamp, and carry screens E, having colored transparent or translucent material, whereby the signal-rays may be colored. The screen, as shown in the drawings, is one which I by preference use, and consists of frame 6, having upon its outer side projections or pins (2', a wire clip 6 corresponding in shape thereto, being pivoted on the same side as the pins and adapted to lock down upon the frame by a latch 6 By placinga piece of colored fabric 6 upon the frame and locking the clip down in position thereon the fabric will be held in position bythe pins 6'. It will be seen that the fabrics may be of different colors, producing a corresponding change in color of the signal-rays, the frames being held in position upon the brackets by means of bolts 6 but I do not confine myself to this construction of screens, for any approved form having glass, &c., as a coloring medium may be used.

Having thus described my invention, whatI claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

1. A combined platform and signal lantern consisting of a suitable casing, two independent transparent apertures on the same side of the casing, the one above the other, a single source of light contained within the casing at a level with the upper aperture, and means for obstructing the said upper aperture, as and for the purposes described.

2. A combined platform and signal lantern consisting of a suitable casing, two independent transparent apertures on the same side of the casing, the one above the other, a single source of light contained within the casing at a level with the upper aperture, an arm pivoted in the said casing carrying a wing upon its upper end adapted to close the said upper aperture, and levers extending from the said arm to the station of an operator, as and for purposes described.

3. A combined platform and signal lantern consisting of a suitable casing, two independent transparent apertures on the same side of the casing, the one above the other, a single source of light contained within the casing at a level with the upper aperture, a screen of colored transparent material mounted in front of the said upperopening but leaving the lower opening unobstructed, an arm pivoted in the said casing carrying a wing upon its upper end adapted to close the said upper aperture, and levers extending from the said arm to the station of an operator, as and for the purposes described.

4:- A screen for coloring rays of light, consisting of a frame having pins on one face thereof, a clip corresponding in shape to the shape of the frame pivoted on the same face thereof, and a colored fabric held between the clip and the pins, as and for the purposes described.

5. A combined platform and signal lantern consisting of a suitable casing, a door glazed with uncolored glass upon each side of the casing, an opaque material having a circular aperture mounted in the upper part of each of the said doors forming two independent transparent apertures on each side of the easing, the one above the other, the corresponding apertures on the different sides of the easing being upon the same levels, a single source of light contained within the casing atalevel with the upper apertures, a bracket on each side of the said casing above the lower aperture and below the upper one, a frame carried in each of the said brackets, each frame having ins 011 one face thereof, clips corresponding in shape thereto pivoted on the same face of the frame, colored fabricheld between the clip and the pins of the said frames, arms pivoted on each side of the bottom of the easing carrying wings upon their upper ends, and independent levers extending from the said arms to the station of the operator, whereby either of the upper apertures may be closed without affecting the lower ones on the same side, as and for the purposes described.

In testimony whereof I have affixed mysignature in presence of two witnesses.

MELVIN MORTON. \Vitnesses:

JOHN K. DUELL, WM. MILLIGAN. 

